Shatter’s Endless and Time Attack modes; hands-on preview

Shatter was one of the most notable games released on the PSN last year and it finally making its way to PC later this month. With it, the game is bringing new modes in addition to multiplayer. The good news is that these modes will be making their way to the PS3 at some point in the future.

We go hands-on with the PC version of Shatter to bring your our impressions of these new gameplay modes; Endless Mode, Endless Co-op Multiplayer, Time Attack, and Time Attack Co-op Multiplayer.
Just as the name suggests, Endless Mode had row after row of falling blocks arranged in various patterns. It begins rather simply with regular rectangular blocks that only take a single hit to destroy. As time progresses, more difficult blocks are added to the party including explosive ones and those pesky regenerator ones found in later stages of Story Mode.

Endless mode perfect for when you just want to pick up and play for a little while and not worry about where you left off in the story or how you’re going to beat a particular boss. Everything that makes Shatter what is was is still present in Endless Mode; the suck and blow features, Shard Storms, etc. Power-ups are scarcer, only appearing when specific targeted blocks are destroyed for extra points.

Time Attack is just like Endless Mode only you have five minutes to rack up as many points possible. While it may not seem like much, five minutes in this mode seems like a lifetime. By the time you reach the halfway point, the speed becomes insanely fast. While it doesn’t appear all that different, the addition of a time limit adds a sense of urgency to the game.

It’s best to save up your Shard Storms and utilize the suck and blow mechanic if you want to survive. There’s also a new feature called “Bricked” that can be a lifesaver. If you’re about to launch a ball and a falling brick hits you, you’ve just been Bricked. Suddenly all bricks on the board are wiped away in a pixelated explosion and you’re left with a clean slate.

The two above modes can also be played with a friend now too. Each player has his or her own paddle, one blue and one orange, stacked on the left side of the screen. Only the player who last touched the ball has the ability to maneuver it. This is highlighted by the ball color matching the paddle. Every so often, the position of the paddles switches, giving the other player the opportunity to be on the frontline.

Surprisingly, this style of play works. We imagine that on the PS3, it’ll be available both offline and online with the hopes of voice chat available for strategic communication. It would have been nice to see a versus type multiplayer mode ala the final boss of the game, but for now, these new modes provide a sufficient fix to our multiplayer craving.